In the matter of South Head & District Synagogue (Sydney) (Administrators appointed) [2017] NSWSC 823

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: In the matter of South Head & District Synagogue (Sydney) (Administrators appointed) [2017] NSWSC 823 Hearing dates: 15 June 2017 Date of orders: 22 June 2017 Decision date: 22 June 2017 Jurisdiction: Equity - Corporations List Before: Brereton J Decision: See [47]. Catchwords: CONTRACTS – general contractual principles – incorporation – whether contract between rabbi and synagogue incorporates a life tenure provision – where Orthodox Jewish law regulates relationship between rabbi and synagogue – where language and objects of contract give primacy to observance of Orthodox Jewish law – where life tenure of rabbis an aspect of Orthodox Jewish law – held, life tenure provision incorporated, or alternatively, implied.

CORPORATIONS – voluntary administrators –contracts of employment – where appointment of administrators has no effect on contracts of employment – where administrators purport to terminate contract of employment contrary to its terms – held, purported termination wrongful, and thus unlawful dismissal of employee.

EQUITY – equitable remedies – injunctions – where employee seeks restraint on implementation of unlawful dismissal – where employee holds an ecclesiastical office – where employer in insolvent administration – where sought injunction does not require that insolvent company pay remuneration – where insolvency therefore not sufficient to preclude grant of injunction – held, injunction granted. Legislation Cited: (CTH) Corporations Act 2001, s 436A, s 439A, s 440D(1) Cases Cited: AMEC Properties Ltd v Planning Research & Systems plc [1992] 1 EGLR 70 Associated Dominions Assurance Society Ltd, Re (1962) 109 CLR 516 Automatic Fire Sprinklers Pty Ltd v Watson (1946) 72 CLR 435 Baker v Gough (1964) 80 WN(NSW) 1263 Byrne v Australian Airlines Ltd (1995) 185 CLR 410 City Cold Storage Co, Re (1916) 30 DLR 574 Davies v Presbyterian Church of Wales [1986] 1 WLR 323 Engel v Adelaide Hebrew Congregation Inc (2007) 98 SASR 402 General Rolling Stock Co, Re (Chapman's Case) (1866) 1 Eq 346 Gregory v Philip Morris Ltd (1988) 80 ALR 455 Gutnick v Bondi Mizrachi Synagogue (2009) 193 IR 191 Halpern v Halpern [2008] QB 195 Intercolonial Smelting Co, Re (1887) 13 VLR 896 Irani v Southampton and South West Hampshire Health Authority [1985] IRLR 203 JC Williamson Ltd v Lukey (1931) 45 CLR 282 Metropolitan Petar v Mitreski [2009] NSWSC 106 Oriental Bank Corp, Re (MacDowall's Case) (1886) 36 Ch D 366 Patrick Stevedores Operations No 2 Pty Ltd v Maritime Union of Australia (1998) 195 CLR 1 Rankin v Scott Fell & Co (1904) 2 CLR 164 Reynolds v Southcorp Wines Pty Ltd (2002) 122 FCR 301; [2002] FCA 712 Robb v Hammersmith and Fulham London Borough Council [1991] ICR 514 Shamil Bank of Bahrain EC v Beximco Pharmaceuticals [2004] 1 WLR 1784 THO Services Ltd, Re [2016] NSWSC 509 Tradition Australia Pty Ltd v Gunson (2006) 152 IR 395 Tullett Prebon (Australia) Pty Ltd v Purcell [2008] NSWSC 853; 175 IR 414 Turner v The Australian Coal and Shale Employees' Federation (1984) 6 FCR 177 Texts Cited: Heydon, Leeming and Turner, Meagher, Gummow & Lehane's Equity Doctrines & Remedies, 5th Ed, LexisNexis (2015) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Anthony Wayne Elkerton & Ronald John Dean-Willcocks (first plaintiffs) South Head & District Synagogue (Sydney) (second plaintiff) Rabbi Benzion Milecki (defendant) Representation: Counsel: V Whittaker w M O'Brien (plaintiffs) I Neil SC w L Menzies & L Saunders (defendant)